Do I have unsophisticated taste in coffee??

[BGrubb]

I'm with you, Sandra. But I thought I'd try the style the "experts" seem to prefer, and one that is roasted on site w/in a couple of days of when I buy it. There is a definite snobbery in coffee (as in everything) - especially as it relates to "over roasted" coffee, and mostly notably Starbucks' coffee. I happen to like Starbucks, but I also enjoy a cup from almost all of the dedicated coffee places, such as Peets, Tully's, Coffee Bean, etc. The thing that usually puts me off when it comes to coffee is when I perceive it to be too weak - or what I describe as tasting like "coffee bean tea".

It's interesting to me how many people say they LOVE coffee from MacDonalds or Dunkin Dounuts. In fact, didn't I hear that Dunkin sells more coffee than anybody else in the US? That' surprises me since when I try it, it leaves me totally flat.

In any case, I bought a couple of 1/2 pounds of three coffees from Sprouts today - a French roast, a Kenyan and even a Vanilla Nut for Saturday mornings 'cause the family likes how it smells.

Thanks for all the advice, folks - this forum is great!

Who cares what others say, drink what you enjoy! Don't force yourself.

Happy brewing!
Sandra

 

[Musicphan]

BGrubb... you will find a lot of the modern roasters really tend to roast light... especially to the average 'consumer' taste buds. Not to say that yours is wrong... simply modern '3rd wave' roasters tend to like the really acidic and sometimes grassy (when underdeveloped) flavors. They roast this light to get the most nuanced flavors of origin. I would think the Kenyan and Costa Rican were super bright and acidic.. followed by the Guat. Did you like the Mexican? typically they are roasted a bit darker to bring out the chocolatey tones in the coffee.

 

[BGrubb]

Yes, Musicphan, I have found this. I guess I'm not a 3rd wave kind of guy, though I'm not sure why "under roasting" need to be a part of the third wave. That's OK, though. I'm happy if I don't have to get my coffee from very specific places and pay the premium I have been for the past couple of months.

I can most definitely say, though, that my Technivorm MoccaMaster coffee maker has made a huge difference in how my coffee tastes. It reminds me of the difference between a standard cup of Pike's at Starbucks and a cup made with their Clover machine. It's brighter and more interesting, yet without the bitter finish. It makes everything I like about coffee better. Sure, it's 10x the price of a Mr. Coffee, but to start my day off with a great cup of coffee is well worth it!

By the way, I found a great article describing the 1st-3rd "waves" of the coffee industry here in the US. Very interesting. Let me link to it this way: www (dot) craftbeveragejobs (dot) com/the-history-of-first-second-and-third-wave-coffee-22315/

 

[Musicphan]

It's all a matter of flavor preferences... Some people like sushi, some like grilled fish... neither really is wrong IMO. One of the challenges as a roaster is balancing how far to roast the coffee. When you roast coffee light you get origin flavors and typically brighter acidity. When you over roast you lose origins flavors and bring on burnt flavors. Find the middle ground is the key...

The article is a pretty good summary of the industry...

 

[coffeeroastersclub]

Len... that's almost a 1/2 cup of coffee... are you sure your not using teaspoons? Typical ratio is roughly 2 tablespoons per cup of coffee.

Definitely tablespoons. 7 tablespoons to 10 oz water. I set my Technivorm to closed basket and let it steep like it was a Clever. Then after 4 min I open the basket to 1/2 setting. I use a freiling gold filter. I have been drinking it like this for years. Tastes great to me, anything less tastes like dirty water.

If I am not mistaken a typical cup of coffee is 6 oz. of water. If that is correct I like my coffee a bit more than double strength.

Len

 

[bagels]

mm, i don't know that there's anything wrong with liking darker coffee. i mean, as people have mentioned, i do think it's a matter of brewing both properly and to your taste, but at some level we all have our preferences and there's plenty of cultures that tend towards very dark roasts- just because it's not aligned with the typical western standard doesn't make it wrong.

personally i thought i hated coffee until i started drinking lighter roasts that are typically used in 'snobby' shops... that changed my life.

 

[towniebrands]

BGrubb,

You are not alone. Originally I was drinking Dark Roasts because I thought that was bolder and richer. I have since found a small batch roaster who explained the roasting process to me. I now enjoy his lighter roasts. The complex science of roasting different beans at different temps is amazing but I think your search will be fruitful. (no pun intended)

Best of Luck!